


The Problem with Potholders

by Greeneyesblue



Series: Fluff Bingo 2019 [3]
Category: NCIS, Numb3rs (TV)
Genre: Crochet, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 11:09:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20834480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Greeneyesblue/pseuds/Greeneyesblue
Summary: Ian takes up a new hobby while recovering from an injury.





	The Problem with Potholders

**Author's Note:**

> Just Write! Fluff Bingo 2019 prompt: knitting/crochet
> 
> [DarkJediQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkJediQueen/pseuds/DarkJediQueen) was my lovely beta!

“Dammit!”  
  
Tony smiled to himself at the curses coming from the living room as he turned off the burner the pot of chili had been sitting on. It had been bubbling away a good part of the afternoon and was now ready to eat. He stepped into the doorway and took in the scene. FBI Agent, world class sniper and all around badass, Ian Edgerton was set up on Tony’s couch with his fingers tangled in a mess of yarn. He assumed it wasn’t supposed to look like that, but he had no idea how to knit or crochet himself.  
  
Ian’s leg was propped carefully on a footstool, a white cast extending from his toes to just below his knee. He had a fibular fracture he took while jumping off a roof in pursuit of a suspect. The concussion he sustained in the ensuing altercation to get the fugitive in custody, because of course Ian hadn’t let a broken leg slow him down, had brought him to Tony’s home to recuperate. He’d been injured for all of a day before boredom had possessed him to attempt a new hobby and he’d spent a couple hours online researching and ordering supplies for next day delivery. So there he sat, trying to make... well, something out of yarn.  
  
“The knitting is going well, I take it?” Tony asked.  
  
Ian frowned at him. “It’s crochet. Knitting requires two stick things. I’m only using one.”  
  
“Crochet. Sorry,” Tony said as he walked over and sat next to Ian on the couch.  
  
“You better be sorry,” Ian said as he poked him playfully with the crochet hook.  
  
Tony just laughed.  
  
“What are you trying to make anyway?”  
  
Ian sighed and held up the tangle of yarn loops. “A potholder.”  
  
Tony tried to suppress his smile. Ian’s attempt was adorable, but not at all recognizable as anything other than a shapeless blob.  
  
“Well,” he finally spoke when he knew he wouldn’t break out in laughter, “you have five and a half more weeks to figure it out.”  
  
Ian groaned and let his head drop back onto the couch. “Don’t remind me. This really sucks.”  
  
Because of the nature of the fracture, Ian couldn’t bear weight on his leg for a full six weeks. When he got the concussion diagnosis, he’d given Tony a call. They wouldn’t release him to go home alone, and Tony was his best option. Tony was trying to figure out how to convince Ian to stay with him the full six weeks instead of going home by himself to pout after the observation period was over for his head injury.  
  
Tony had met Ian a few years ago while taking a training course at Quantico for federal agents. He liked to keep his skills sharp, and good marksmanship had saved his life a time or two. Since he didn’t have any professional connections to Ian outside of the course, he flirted with the usually stoic man at every opportunity. After getting a few amused smiles in reaction, Tony figured he’d try his luck for a hook up when it was over. Ian insisted on dinner first, mostly because at the time it was evening and they both had to eat. That ended up laying the groundwork for what was a fantastic weekend.  
  
Tony had kept in touch with Ian over the years since then, and they had a sort of friends with benefits thing when Ian was in DC. The great part about it was that it wasn’t just about the sex, which was consistently fantastic. There was real friendship there too. They might seem like a bit of an odd pair, but Ian’s professional demeanor hid his wicked sense of humor and knowledge on a broad range of subjects. They’d watched movies together, had late night conversations on whatever was on their mind, talked through cases, cooked for each other. If Tony was being honest, their relationship was more real than anyone he’d dated in that same time.  
  
When Ian had called from the hospital and asked Tony to spring him instead of having to sit out observation there, Tony had quickly finished up at work and asked for a few days of vacation. He was still unpacking his emotions surrounding the whole event two days later.  
  
Getting that call from Ian had scared him. Yeah, they both worked in potentially dangerous jobs, but Tony wouldn’t have found out about Ian’s injuries if the man hadn’t called. He wasn’t listed as his medical proxy or next of kin. They were just friends who sometimes had sex. In that moment, Tony had realized he wanted more. Now he just had to figure out how to talk to Ian about it. Getting Ian to stay at his place longer might be his first step. He didn’t know what step two was yet.  
  
“I honestly don't know if I'll keep my sanity staying off my feet this long.” Ian interrupted Tony’s thoughts with his lament.  
  
“That's what you get for jumping off a building,” Tony shot back.  
  
Ian rolled his eyes. “It was a house, not a skyscraper. No need to be so dramatic.”  
  
“Yeah, sure. I'm not allowed to be dramatic about the fact that you jumped off a residential structure in pursuit of a suspect, and got injured. Right, I'll just pretend that happens every day and is not concerning at all to someone who might care about you.”  
  
Tony huffed and stood, turning to go back toward the kitchen.  
  
“Food’s ready if you’re hungry,” he called back.  
  
He knew he was actually being dramatic right now, but he couldn't seem to stop himself. He kept walking right up to the counter and then braced his arms against it as he took a moment to get himself under control. Why was all of this getting under his skin so much? He and Ian were big boys that could take care of themselves in the field. They had a casual thing. This shouldn’t be such a big deal, but Tony was anything but casual about what had happened and how he felt.  
  
After a moment, he heard the soft thump steps of Ian maneuvering on his crutches. Tony plastered on a smile and turned to look at him, ready to deflect.  
  
“Chili’s ready. I’ll just grab us bowls.”  
  
Before Tony could reach toward the cupboard to get dishes, Ian held up a hand to stop him.  
  
“Are you okay? Did I mess something up? Because I feel like I messed something up,” Ian asked.  
  
Tony let the smile fall and shook his head.  
  
“No, I’m sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong. I just...” Tony trailed off as he tried to organize his thoughts.  
  
He took a deep breath and stepped up into Ian’s space, starting again. “This whole thing scared me and made me realize how much you mean to me. I want to be more than just friends or fuck buddies. Hell, you’re already the healthiest relationship I’ve ever had. I realized I’ve already fallen for you, and I need you to know that.”  
  
Ian looked surprised, but smiled. He shifted his weight, and Tony slid his hands around Ian’s waist to steady him.  
  
“Wow, Tony.”  
  
“Yeah, sorry for dumping that all on you right now, but I mean it sincerely,” Tony said quietly.  
  
Ian didn’t respond with words, but leaned in and met Tony’s lips in a kiss. It was warm and familiar, but stirred lust in Tony just as much as the first time they’d kissed. Tony pulled back after a few seconds though, conscious of the fact that Ian was balancing on one leg and his crutches.  
  
“Look,” Tony said, “your head is on the mend, but I want you to know you can stay here as long as you need. I know how much being injured like this sucks, and I’d love to help you however you want. I wouldn’t mind getting to spend so much time with you in one go either.”  
  
Ian was quiet for a moment, studying Tony’s face. Tony could tell he’d come to a decision when his expression softened.  
  
“Moping around here for six weeks sounds a hell of a lot better than moping around my lonely apartment,” Ian answered. “Besides, it comes with a great view.”  
  
Ian reached down and goosed Tony on the ass as he spoke, and Tony barked out a laugh in response.  
  
“You’re damn right!” he replied enthusiastically. “Now sit your equally fine ass down before you fall down and I'll grab our dinner.”  
  
Tony hadn’t really been expecting a mutual declaration of feelings, so he’d have to settle for taking hope in Ian’s enthusiasm. At least now they had six weeks to figure it out.  
  
\- - - - -  
  
Tony settled into the driver's seat of his car and started it before turning to Ian with a smile.  
  
“You excited to be a free man again?”  
  
Ian chuckled. “Well, not exactly what I would call free, but having that itchy cast off feels amazing.”  
  
Tony was giving Ian a ride home from his appointment to remove the cast. The doctor had said he could put weight on his leg again, and he’d be starting a physical therapy regimen in the next few days. He was sporting a fashionable walking boot in the meantime.  
  
“So, what do you want to do now?” Tony asked. “Pack up so you can sleep in your own bed tonight?”  
  
Ian smiled back at him and shrugged. “I’m really in no rush. I’ve been spoiled by that wildly hedonistic bed of yours. My bed partner is pretty great too.”  
  
Tony laughed a little, but savored the warm feeling those words gave him as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed back to his place.  
  
When they arrived home, they fell into the habits they’d developed over the past few weeks. Tony volunteered to cook them dinner that night. Over Ian’s recovery time he’d discovered that Ian was a fantastic cook himself. They’d kept a stool in the kitchen so he could cook without having the encumbrance of crutches once Ian was feeling up to doing more than making a permanent dent in the couch.  
  
While Tony was working in the kitchen, Ian took the opportunity for his first shower in weeks without a plastic bag over his leg. It was several minutes before he heard the thumping sound of Ian walking into the room. Tony was slicing onions and didn’t look up when he greeted Ian.  
  
“Feel better?”  
  
“So much better,” Ian replied.  
  
Tony finished the onions and put them in the pan. He turned to look at Ian, finding him holding a lopsided square of yarn. Ian looked down at the object in his hands as he spoke.  
  
“My grandmother taught me to crochet. It was one summer when I was a teenager and she thought I should be learning some life skills. At the time I didn’t really have the patience for it, and didn’t see the point. I didn’t have much use for creative or domestic pursuits back then.”  
  
Ian trailed off and Tony furrowed his brow as he tried to figure out the appropriate thing to say in response.  
  
“It’s really special that your grandma took the time to teach you that, even if you didn’t go on to knit everyone a sweater every Christmas.”  
  
Ian glared, but his voice held humor as he snapped back. “It’s crochet. Knitting is a completely different thing.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah. Details,” Tony joked back.  
  
Ian rolled his eyes, but smiled affectionately at Tony.  
  
“Anyway,” Ian said, holding out the square for Tony, “I made you a potholder.”  
  
“Are you sure that’s what it is?” Tony asked, playfully.  
  
Ian laughed. “Shut it, DiNozzo. I’m trying to have a moment.”  
  
Tony held his hands up in front of him. “Okay, okay. Lay it on me. I like moments.”  
  
“I made you this potholder,” Ian started again, “and picking this up again—doing what my grandmother taught me—it reminds me of family and people that are important to me. I wanted to give it to you because you’re important to me, and I'm hoping we can make this thing more official.”  
  
Tony was surprised at the ball of emotion he had to swallow down after Ian’s genuine statement. He cleared his throat and walked over to take the potholder from Ian.  
  
“That would be great,” he said quietly as he looked up to meet Ian’s eyes. “I’m in love with you, Ian. I want you in my life however you want to be.”  
  
Ian gave Tony a crooked smile. “I love you too.”  
  
The kiss that followed was warm and sweet and affirmed all the feelings they’d finally verbalized to each other.  
  
When they broke apart for breath, Tony cleared his throat. “You know, most people need a few potholders. Several even. I think you should stick around here and make some more for our kitchen.”  
  
“Oh yeah?” Ian asked, smiling wide. “You asking me to move in?”  
  
“I am.”  
  
Tony held his breath as he realized just how much he wanted Ian’s answer to be yes.  
  
“Okay.”  
  
Tony smiled and leaned in for another passionate kiss. When he finally had to stop for breath, his grin was as bright as Ian’s.  
  
“We need to go buy more yarn,” Tony said seriously.  
  
Ian just laughed and kissed him again. 


End file.
